🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the championship proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."